1979 Suzuki GS1000L - 7-Page Vintage Motorcycle Road Test Article

Description

1979 Suzuki GS1000L - 7-Page Vintage Motorcycle Road Test Article
Original, Vintage Magazine article
Page Size: Approx. 8" x 11" (21 cm x 28 cm) each page
Condition: Good
CYCLE
WORLD
TEST
Like all other for-
ward-thinking motor-
cycle manufacturers.
Suzuki last year
watched the sales of
Yamaha Specials
climb out of sight.
And like all the other
forward-thinking mo-
torcycle manufactur-
ers in Japan, this year Suzuki has intro-
duced its own Specials. Only they're not
called Specials. They're called L models.
The advertisements tell us the L stands for
Low Slinger, although around the office
the GS1000L was usually called the Chop-
per or the Luxo or the Special. Of all the
letters in the alphabet. L has as little
excitement as any.
To create the L. Suzuki began with the
top-of-the-line E model which was already
equipped with triple disc brakes, mag-style
wheels and self-canceling turn signals.
There are four L models, ranging from the
425L to the 1000L. All share a characteris-
tic look: fat gas tank, high-rise handlebars,
high-stepped seat, chopped-off mufflers,
chrome rear fender, and extended-looking
front forks. These are cosmetic changes,
the kind of cosmetic changes some motor-
cycle riders have been making on their
own motorcycles for years.
There are reasons, believe it or not. for
making these changes to a perfectly good
motorcycle. Oh. not functional reasons,
but reasons of style. Traditional sports-
motorcyclists have a hard lime under-
standing the L or any of the semi-chop-
pers. There are no functional reasons,
meaning performance reasons, for the
changes made to the L. The bucko-bars
make control more difficult, the additional
chrome doesn't make it faster, the laid-
back posture is simply wrong for going
fast.
That people—large numbers of people-
buv this style of motorcycle means that
roadracer ergonomics don't appeal to
evervone. Neither does roadracer style.
After all. is there anything inherently more
functional in having squared-off tail pieces
housing taillights and plastic fenders, than
chromed metal fenders with taillights and
license plate brackets hung on them?
Cosmetic changes such as those creating
the L model always seem trivial compared
to the mechanical changes of a new model,
but the amount of work going into the
cosmetic changes on the L have been
significant. The gas tank, rear fender, seat,
handlebars and front fork changes are
obvious enough, but the plastic cover at
the steering head on the L or the new
curved front brake master cylinder reser-
voir are less obvious. Adding up all the
little bits: the longer speedometer cable,
the new levers, different fuel petcock. dec-
orations on the side of the engine cases,
new headlight bracket, smaller headlight,
different mirrors, and revised gauges, there
are dozens of small changes on the L.
More important than the number of
changes, is the severity of the changes.
Compared to the Yamaha Specials, the
Suzuki goes just a little bit further. The
handlebars extend higher and pull back
farther. The seat has a more exaggerated
step. There is more chrome and more
pinstriping. The Suzuki L models look like
a product planner was given a Yamaha
Special and told to do the same thing with
the Suzukis, only add a little more Hash.
Underneath all the flash is still the best
all-around performance motorcycle made.
Suzuki's slock GS1000 is the finest han-
dling big Japanese bike. It has excellent
suspension, is comfortable, stable, and re-
liable. The engine isn't the most powerful
motorcycle engine available, but it is com-
petitive when raced and more than ade-
quate for the stoplight grand prix. Most
important, the GS1000 is balanced. It has
enough suspension and frame rigidity to
allow the engine to be used. It's not over-
weight or overgrown.
With a wet weight of 536 lb., the
GS1000L isn't any heavier or lighter than
the standard GSI000. Whatever weight is
Small 5% in. quartz-halogen headlight is
used on the GS1000L...
13702-AL-7907-08